Pumpkin Cake with Maple Frosting

By King Arthur Flour Company Inc.
Images
Pumpkin Cake with Maple Frosting
Serves
Makes 1 (18- by 13-inch) baking dish, about 4 dozen 2-inch squares
Ingredients
  • Pumpkin cake:
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional)
  • 1 cup golden raisins/ginger mini chips (optional)

  • For the frosting:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 4 tablespoons softened butter
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup toasted walnut pieces


Procedure
This cake is moist and delicious, similar to carrot cake but with a fall flavor. The rich cream cheese frosting will also remind you of carrot cake—which isn’t a bad thing! Do toast the walnuts before using them; toasting brings out their nutty essence.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a large rimmed half-sheet pan, about 18" x 13"; or line the pan with greased parchment.

Beat the oil and the sugars together until well blended.

Beat in the eggs, then the pumpkin purée.

Stir the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spice into the wet ingredients, then stir in the flour, beating gently to combine.

Stir in the nuts and raisins/ginger.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it onto a rack to finish cooling; or leave it right in the pan, if you’ve lined the pan with parchment.

To make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter together.

Beat in the maple syrup, then mix in the confectioners’ sugar and salt. Adjust the consistency of the frosting with additional maple syrup or confectioners’ sugar, if necessary; it should be nicely spreadable.

Frost the cake and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts. Once the frosting has set somewhat, cut into squares and serve.

Pumpkin Cake with Maple Frosting

By King Arthur Flour Company Inc.
Serves
Makes 1 (18- by 13-inch) baking dish, about 4 dozen 2-inch squares
Ingredients
  • Pumpkin cake:
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional)
  • 1 cup golden raisins/ginger mini chips (optional)

  • For the frosting:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 4 tablespoons softened butter
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup toasted walnut pieces


Procedure
This cake is moist and delicious, similar to carrot cake but with a fall flavor. The rich cream cheese frosting will also remind you of carrot cake—which isn’t a bad thing! Do toast the walnuts before using them; toasting brings out their nutty essence.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a large rimmed half-sheet pan, about 18" x 13"; or line the pan with greased parchment.

Beat the oil and the sugars together until well blended.

Beat in the eggs, then the pumpkin purée.

Stir the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spice into the wet ingredients, then stir in the flour, beating gently to combine.

Stir in the nuts and raisins/ginger.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it onto a rack to finish cooling; or leave it right in the pan, if you’ve lined the pan with parchment.

To make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter together.

Beat in the maple syrup, then mix in the confectioners’ sugar and salt. Adjust the consistency of the frosting with additional maple syrup or confectioners’ sugar, if necessary; it should be nicely spreadable.

Frost the cake and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts. Once the frosting has set somewhat, cut into squares and serve.